As a math guy, this is something I've been pondering for a while. Is there a limit to how fast we can swim. For instance, I remember a discussion point a while back was that there was no physical way a human could run the 100m in less than 9 seconds, that the forces you would create within your body in order to run that fast would cause you muscles to tear and bones to shatter.
In swimming we're seeing a HUGE leap forward in technology as it pertains both to how we train and what we put on our bodies. For instance, how fast could Matt Biondi swum a 50 or 100 if he had access to the wealth of information we have now just 15 years later in regards to training, nutrition and suits.
Could he possibly 20 47 low in the 100 if he were in his 20's/early 30's right now?
And to my point, imagine the 50 free. How fast is "impossible"? We just say Bousquet take 1/4 second of the 50 free WR. What's the limit? You'd think at some point someone's going to set a WR that will never be broken.
Guys like Jon Sieben and Ricardo Prado (400 IM world champ and WR in 1982?) don't come around too often.
I had the pleasure of swimming next to Richardo Prado in the prelims of the 400IM at conference my junior year. I am not sure how tall he was, but I am 6'2" and I am pretty sure he was close to a foot shorter. Anyway, I had never seen him up close until we got on the blocks and I remember thinking "that guy is really short are they sure he is the world record holder" and then once we hit the water for the fly all I remember thinking was "damn, that guy has the longest strokes I have ever seen in my life". His stroke was a thing of beauty.
I can't imagine guys like that come along too often and it would be interesting to understand how he was able to be so efficient for his size.
Tim
Guys like Jon Sieben and Ricardo Prado (400 IM world champ and WR in 1982?) don't come around too often.
I had the pleasure of swimming next to Richardo Prado in the prelims of the 400IM at conference my junior year. I am not sure how tall he was, but I am 6'2" and I am pretty sure he was close to a foot shorter. Anyway, I had never seen him up close until we got on the blocks and I remember thinking "that guy is really short are they sure he is the world record holder" and then once we hit the water for the fly all I remember thinking was "damn, that guy has the longest strokes I have ever seen in my life". His stroke was a thing of beauty.
I can't imagine guys like that come along too often and it would be interesting to understand how he was able to be so efficient for his size.
Tim